Stupid skimmer

[ellisz]

Hi all,

What do you do with the waste tube that Berlin skimmers and some others have coming off the collection cup? I have always ran it to a separate container but once again, after a slight adjustment to the skimmer, it has drained my sump and got my floor all wet :x

I watched it for a bit and it seemed ok but when I came back about an hour later, I had a mess. I guess I broke in my new fish room

This skimmer really pisses me off for being as finiky as it is. Is this just user error or should I look at getting a different skimmer. I tried to adjust it so that a bubbles were in the chamber...

Thanks

 

[Brad]

skimmer problems...

It might help if you describe the sequence of events that leads to the flooding.

In my experience, my skimmer used to give me trouble as follows:
1) Water is pumped into the skimmer, flows through the skimmer, then back into the tank. (obviously...)

2) On occasion, the outflow of the skimmer would slow and then air lock. Water would continue to pump INTO the skimmer caused the skimmer to essentially blow it's top...or dump water into the overflow cup and out the drain line.

There are other situations that could be causing your problem, but that is what happened to me in any case.

My solution BTW, was to ensure that the outflow line remained clean at all times and to jiggle it now and then to ensure that any bubbles forming were spit out.

 

[ellisz]

I don't think it has to do with a blockage. You have the air adj screw. If it is adjusted to much(which is not much), it starts pulling in water into the collection cup. It started out as bubbles like normal but eventually changed over to a more liquid form. The collection cup has a drain line for these situations and I run that into a gallon container. In this case and once before, it just keeps puliing in water and then it drains out the tube and eventually over flows my container.

I can stop it my adjusting the screw to allow less air or shutting it all together. This in turn keeps the bubble chamber from doing anything and seems like it sort of turn the skimmer off sort of. I have read that these skimmer are finiky but I really don't want this to happen again.

Does this makes sense?

 

[reefrunner69]

IME, berlin skimmers are very finicky and take daily adjustment to keep them running efficiently. FWIW, when I used one on my 150, I would never get more than a full cup in a weeks time, it was always working well, but not more than a full cup, close, but not quite. Since I make a habit of cleaning the neck and cup at least once per week, I just capped the hose barb off. They used to come with a plug, if you don't have it, you can fill the hose barb with silicone and it will plug it off.

 

[ellisz]

reef: Was I right when I said the skimmer is sort of turned off when the bubble chamber is not active?

Are other skimmers less finiky and less likely to pull water from the sump? I honestly don't want to do daily adjustments but if that is the norm, I will have to suck it up

 

[reefrunner69]

There are plenty of skimmers these days that are much less finicky and more efficient than the berlin classic (I have no experience with the berlin turbo), but back in the day...the berlin was the best available. These days I recommend Aqua-C skimmers and EuroReef skimmers (or their knockoffs).

If there are no bubbles in the bubble chamber, either the screw is too tight or the venturi is clogged, and it will not produce a skimate.

 

[Brad]

You are right..

When there is no bubbles, it isn't doing anything.

 

[ellisz]

When there is no bubbles, it isn't doing anything.

That is what I thought. Thing is, I will adjust it and it bubbles. Come back in a day or so and it is not bubbling. Daily adjustments huh

From what I can see the Aqua C Urchin is my best/cheapest bet. I need a sump skimmer. Not sure I want to spend the money. The Berlin is working, it is just a bit of a pain...